Hiking Tales from the Andes Inspire Gladwyne Cub Scouts

As Gladwyne Cub Scout Pack 110 prepares for its own overnight hiking trip in two weeks, pack Hikemaster Bruce Terry told the boys all about his own adventure of climbing the highest peak in the Americas.

“We have our own ‘rock star’ among us—Henry’s dad,” Cubmaster Patrick Brala told a group of cub scouts Tuesday evening at the Merion Scout House in Gladwyne.

In February,  in Argentina with a group and two guides—one of whom was climbing the Andean mountain for the 10th time and another who was hiking it for the seventh time, he said.

“If you’re not familiar with where you are, make sure you go with someone who knows what they’re doing,” Terry said.

He rested whenever possible to conserve energy, shared a four-season tent “the size of a kitchen table” and cooked food with two other people for about 15 days, Terry said. He drank six liters of water a day and used a bandana to cover his mouth when it got windy because there was a lot of dust.

Temperatures changed drastically between day and night, so they did most of the work during the day when it was sunny. And at 20,000 feet your heart has to pump two or three times as hard to get the same amount of oxygen to the heart, he said, which made him have to take several breaths after each step he took.

When they were at about 17,000 feet, they found a hiker lying on the ground with chest pains. Terry said they called for a helicopter for the man, who was having a mild heart attack but was OK once he got help.

Terry and his group took their time between camp sites to adjust to the higher altitudes, which made them tired and gave them headaches because of the lower oxygen. Then they received word a storm was approaching in two days, so they had to hurry to get to the top.

At 19,700 feet was the launching point to get to the summit, Terry said. At the summit, it started to snow. 

“The beauty around us was just incredible,” he said.

On the way back down, a woman who had not eaten enough was suffering from hypoglycemia and had to be carried for a bit—helicopters don't fly that high, Terry said. Some chocolate helped get her blood sugar back up.

Gladwyne Boy Scouts

Senior Patrol Leader Reed Kimzey, 15, and Scoutmaster Larry Livornese, of Gladwyne Troop 181, also came to talk about the hikes they do.

For a three-day hike, Kimzey said he tries to keep his pack at 25 pounds or lighter, though it depends on the season. 

His frameless backpack, which he keeps sturdy by first inserting a rolled-up sleeping pad, contains about 30 things—a first aid kit, head lamp, a bright pack cover in case of rain, an ultra-light whistle, extra clothing and items for food, water and sleeping.

It’s important to wear different clothes at night for three reasons, Livornese said: because you perspire during the day, because substances on day clothes could attract animals and because you could re-expose yourself to other things, like poison ivy, that may be on your clothes.

From the meeting, Kimzey and Livornese were heading to Rolling Hill Park for a 3.3-mile night hike. This summer, their troop is going to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. 

Gladwyne Cub Scouts

The boys are going for an overnight den hike in two weeks at Camp Delmont, and they’re going for a pack hike this Sunday in Bala Cynwyd.

“Going is optional, but coming home is mandatory,” Terry’s son Henry said.